Equipped with a luxury curve with a 'hit rate of 0.077' → ERA 2.23 → Injury season out...Bullpool ace, will you show 'Dokdo Kick' at KS this year
Equipped with a luxury curve with a 'hit rate of 0.077' → ERA 2.23 → Injury season out...Bullpool ace, will you show 'Dokdo Kick' at KS this year
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The Samsung Lions entered the Korean Series in 2024, but unfortunately failed to win the runner-up prize. The team was defeated by the KIA Tigers due to unfavorable factors including an unprecedented suspension game. The team already engaged in a tough battle due to players' injuries. Choi Ji-kwang, the core of the bullpen, was also sidelined due to his injury, which pushed him to the bottom line.메이저사이트
Choi had his best year in the 2024 season. He was late to join the team due to an injury to his dorsal muscles at the beginning of the season, and started pitching in earnest from June. As soon as he returned to the first team, he gave life to his team. With his unique "Dokdo Kick" pitching form, he flew with three wins, two losses and seven holds with an ERA of 2.23. His ERA of 2.23 is the lowest since his debut.
His performance in August was overwhelming. Choi played in 14 games in August and posted an ERA of 1.20 with two wins, one loss and five holds. Among bullpen pitchers who pitched more than 15 innings in August, he ranked third in ERA after Park Sang-won (Hanwha Eagles·0.00) and Jeon Sang-hyun (KIA Tigers·0.57). His batting average was 0.102 with a batting average of 0.429.
The installation of curves has emerged as a phenomenon of god. Earlier, Choi was a pitcher with close proximity to two-pitch focus on fastballs and sliders. He used curves for controlling speed, and his pitching ratio was around 10 percent. In 2023, the batting average for curves was 0.250, which was rather ordinary.
The 2024 curveball game has become a different kind of pitch from the previous one. Choi Ji-kwang's curveball has evolved into a stable game with a 0.077 hit rate. His batting average also stood at 0.077, blocking all hits with a single stroke. His curveball percentage also rose from 13.0 percent in 2023 to 22.7 percent.
While on the upward trajectory, an injury demonstration came. Choi complained of severe pain in his right arm while pitching against the Incheon SSG Landers on Sept. 14. Choi immediately came down from the mound, and was diagnosed with damage to internal ligaments and ruled out for the season with surgery.
Samsung and Doosan in the "2024 Shinhan SOL Bank KBO League" at Jamsil Baseball Stadium in Seoul on the afternoon of July 12, 2024. Samsung's Choi Ji-kwang smiles after striking out Huh Kyung-min with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning./My Daily
He failed to make the postseason roster due to surgery. Choi Ji-kwang's experience in fall baseball was only one run in one game in ⅓ innings in 2021. He was able to play in the Korean Series for the first time in his career, but was hampered by injuries.
After the end of the season, Choi's dedication came back with a salary increase. He signed for 170 million won, an increase of 30 million won (21 percent) from his previous salary of 140 million won (140 million won). He did not have many innings on the mound, but his outstanding performance was recognized.
Choi is known to be sweating profusely in order to return to the mound in the second half of the 2025 season. He would have loved to be on the stage in the Korean Series more than anyone else. Will he be able to perform "Dokdo Kick" on the mound in the Korean Series this season.